Standing in for Danger
by Romaqueen3
Summary: Three years after Rome, danger lurks on the set of Isabella’s new video where she’s asked Lizzie to be a stunt double. Someone doesn’t want this video to be completed, and they’ll stop at nothing…
1. Director

Isabella drummed her fingers on the table then tilted her head and brushed the chestnut strands away from her face. She'd been listing to the different ideas of these buffoons for the past hour, and no one had had any interesting video treatment yet.  
"Sí, sí," she nodded shortly as male in front of her finished. "Sí, we will get back to you."  
The hopeful director looked at her for a moment then nodded, said his farewells, and walked out the door.  
"Matteo!" She exploded once the man was out of the room, her Italian accent very thick. "What was that?! I told you, I did not want to do a cute return single! This single must be big. None of those idiots even had a remote clue what it must be!"  
She leaned back angrily against the table. It'd been over three years since she'd released her last single, but that had also been with her male counter part, Paolo Valisari. But, things were very different now, Paolo had betrayed her and tried to embarrass her in front of the whole world, but instead, his plan had backfired when Isabella had learned of the plan and come back just in time to foil his scheme. Now, her solo CD was finished, and it was time for her first video. No one she had seen yet even seemed to remotely grasp what this video needed to be. That it need to show everyone Paolo was a thing of the past and she was stronger without him.  
"I want a video that will be brilliant, that will catch everyone's attention," she explained, staring down at the man across from her. Matteo had also been her agent when she was with Paolo, now that she was his only client, she wanted to make sure that it was clear no man would ever cross her again.  
"Sí, sí, sí," he nodded. "I understand, I really do. We have one more meeting today, meet with her, and if you don't like her idea, we will write you a treatment and get a director to pick it up. Will that work?"  
She didn't answer, instead, she flipped her hair over her shoulders, sat down in the chair and adjusted the green skirt. "This had better be good," she threatened.  
Matteo stood up and walked out of the room, he was gone a few moments then reentered, followed by a woman in her early thirties. She smiled to Isabella who scrunched her face into a smile and nodded curtly. The woman took her place at the head of the table, and looked at her audience of two.  
  
"Hello my name is Serena- "  
Isabella rolled her eyes and moved so she was more comfortable in her chair, she was preparing to tune the woman out when suddenly Serena pulled out a picture of a sporty red car.  
"And throughout the video, she's going to be chased by this guy, and she's never going to fully let him catch her but she's going to take him through all these stunts to see if he can keep up. For the final chorus she'll be on top of a cliff, and she'll stop the car get out and basically tell him that she doesn't need him or anyone," Serena concluded, looking from Matteo who was watching Isabella who was leaning up intently.  
"So, we have a big budget, no?" she asked, Matteo.  
"Sí."  
"What kind of stunts are you thinking?" she asked, turning her attention back to Serena.  
"Well.the car chase, obviously. In my plans, I see you parachuting out of a plane, landing in the car, and high speed chase. There is also room for a lot of physical activities, especially gymnastic stunts, very acrobatic."  
Matteo folded his hands and put them upon the table. "Sí, we will get back to yo-"  
"Did I ask you to speak?" Isabella interrupted, tilting her head. She stared defiantly at him, then nodded towards the door. "We need to talk."  
Matteo raised his eyebrows then stood up and walked out the door followed by Isabella.  
"I want this one," she stated, crossing her arms.  
"You are joking, no?"  
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Isabella snipped. "I am not joking, I want to do this one. But I will not do the stunts."  
Matteo stared at her for a moment. "Isabella, this video is nothing but stunts, you just want to sing?"  
"I will do the close-ups, I will drive the car, I will sing, but we can find someone else to do the stunts."  
Matteo sighed, he knew this tone all to well, it meant that she would do nothing until she got her way, exactly like she wanted it. "Sí, I will tell her." He retreated back into the room.  
Isabella smiled, things were starting to look up.  
*** 


	2. A Match

"No, no, and no!" Isabella declared, throwing the pictures off the coffee table in her pent house apartment. "These girls look nothing like me! Honestly, do they really think that even with a blurry lens that they could pass as me?"  
Matteo stared at her. "Isabella," he tried to reason. "It will be very fast action, they will not be able to tell it is not you. Hair and make-up will be done identically, it will work."  
She slammed down a picture in front of him, pointing at the smiling girl. "She does not even have the same face shape as me!"  
"We have been through hundreds of pictures, if none of these work nothing will."  
"There has to be someone out there who could pretend to pass as me! Am I paying you to do your job, or to get lazy after looking at a few pictures?"  
"Unless you have a twin sister that you haven't told me about, you will have to settle for one of these," he stated, sitting back and running his hand through his black hair.  
Isabella stared at him for a moment then suddenly strode into her bedroom where she began to search wildly through drawers.  
Matteo leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. "What are you doing?"  
She stood up holding a small folded paper. "Remember at the IMVA's that girl who looked just like me?"  
Matteo thought for a moment then nodded. "Sí, sí, but she is an inexperienced girl, not a stunt double. Pick someone else."  
"No, either she does it, or we start the whole process of planning a video over again."  
Matteo sighed. "Do you think she would do it?"  
"I don't know," she glared, shoving the paper at him. "You call her."  
"She's what a fifteen-year-old kid?"  
Isabella frowned at him. "She's eighteen, same as me. Call her and see if she would do it."  
Matteo stared at her. "What exactly do you want me to say to her? Come to Italy and risk your life?"  
Isabella snatched the paper away from him. "Give it here. I honestly do not know what I pay you for!"  
She walked back into the living room, grabbed the cordless phone, sat down, then dialed the number.  
Matteo shook his head and started to pick up his coat. "Wait!" she called over the ringing, in her ear. "Stay here, I will need to know how much we can pay her and stuff."  
"Hello?" the voice on the other end answered.  
"Hello," Isabella said sweetly. "May I speak to Lizzie McGuire?"  
"Hold on one moment," the woman replied.  
Isabella waited while the woman yelled, then finally the phone was picked up on another extension and hung up again.  
"Hello?" Lizzie's breathless voice asked.  
"Lizzie?"  
"Yes? Who is this?"  
"Ciao, this is Isabella Parigi, from Rome?"  
"Oh, hi," she answered. "How are you?"  
"I am good," Isabella replied, boring of the small talk. "How are you?"  
"Good."  
"That is wonderful. Lizzie, I have a proposition for you."  
"A proposition?"  
Isabella rolled her eyes at Matteo. "Sí, you see, I am going to making a video, and I will need some help in some scenes. And with your likeness to me, it only makes sense that you come to Roma and shoot it with me."  
"What do you mean?"  
Isabella laid her head back on the couch and put her hand to her forehead. "There are scenes I can not do, if you will do those we can pay you." She gestured to Matteo to write down how much it would be.  
"Like a double?"  
"Sí, sí, like a stunt double," Isabella replied, she read the amount they would pay her, this smiled as she listened to Lizzie's sharp intake of breath.  
"I-I don't know."  
"Sí, well write down my number and remember how much it will be worth to you," Isabella replied. "I have to make some more calls, but call me back very soon. Sí?"  
"Sure." Lizzie trailed off. "Bye."  
"Ciao." She hung up the phone with a decisive click, and smiled at Matteo. "She is ours."  
*** 


	3. To Rome or Not to Rome

"What was that?" Gordo asked, leaning back against the chair in Lizzie's apartment.  
"You remember Isabella right? From Rome?"  
"Yeah." Gordo replied slowly.  
"Well, she wants me to come to Rome and be a stunt double for her video."  
Gordo nodded. "That's cool."  
"Gordo!" Lizzie squealed.  
"What?"  
"I can't be a stunt double! I'll never know how I made it around that stage without falling on my face!"  
Gordo walked over and looked over her shoulder at the numbers she'd written down, his eyes lingered upon the several digits. "Is that how much you'd be paid?"  
Lizzie took a deep breath and nodded.  
"Lizzie, that's enough to get your through college!"  
"Yeah, I know." She leaned her head against her hand. "But last time I went to Rome."  
"You had an amazing time, and you got confidence."  
Lizzie stated at him. He had a point, but Gordo always had a point. As her best friend he was always straight forward with her and honest. "But through everything, I had you to fall back on. Would you go with me?"  
Gordo laughed softly. "I can't afford a trip to Rome, Lizzie."  
She shook her head. "Then I'm not going."  
"Lizzie! You can't just not go cause I'm not! This is like something incredible that you can't just pass up."  
"But Gordo, I can't do it alone, I have to have someone to talk to."  
"Call me then!"  
Lizzie playfully rolled her eyes. "For what you'll spend on a phone bill you might as well come with me."  
"So you're going to do it?"  
Lizzie paused and looked at the paper. Going back to Rome would mean thinking about Paolo again, something she hadn't done since she'd left. He'd pretended to be so nice, and kind, he really deserved an Oscar for the performance he'd given.  
Lizzie shook her head. What was she thinking? She couldn't be a stunt double, it was an accomplishment to make it through the day without falling twice. She picked up the phone and dialed the number.  
"Ciao?"  
"Isabella?"  
"Sí?"  
"This is Lizzie, Lizzie McGuire."  
"Sí.have you decided that you will do it?"  
"Isabella, I'm not really stunt double material, I-I mean, I trip and fall all the time," she paused and took a breath. Gordo shook his head and stared out the window.  
"Lizzie, there will be a stunt coordinator there who will help you, train you. You will be perfect for this. If it is where you will stay, do not worry about that, I will see to it that you have the finest hotel in Rome."  
"But, even then, Isabella-"  
"Would you like to bring someone? A friend? We will get them a room also and pay for your air fare to and from Rome."  
"But Isabella, I-"  
"And, an extra week in Rome, we will pay for your hotel, and food."  
Lizzie's jaw dropped at everything that would happen if she just quit arguing and got over her fears and said yes. "I'll do it," she stated softly.  
"You will?" Isabella echoed.  
"You will?" Gordo asked, shocked.  
"Yes, I'll do it," she stated again, convincing herself.  
"Wonderful! Grazie," Isabella replied. "If you will give me your address, my manager will work everything out with you."  
After Lizzie hung up the phone, she turned around and looked at Gordo. "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
Gordo shook his head and smiled. "I just can't believe that you, Lizzie McGuire are going to be a stunt double."  
Lizzie laughed. "No, once again, it's me Isabella, doing something that Lizzie McGuire would never do." Her laughter died away and she titled her head, shaking her blonde locks away from her eyes. "Gordo, can I ask you something?"  
"Anything."  
"Will you come with me, if everything is paid for?"  
"Well, sure, but Lizzie, everything isn't paid for, and I can't let you pay for me."  
"I'm not going to. Isabella is. She was trying to convince me, and said I could bring a friend and after the video, we can have a week in Rome with the hotel paid for and food."  
Gordo stared at her. "Really? Sure, I'll go. When do we leave?"  
Lizzie shrugged. "I don't know her manager is supposed to get back with me."  
Gordo glanced at his watch, then back up at Lizzie. "That's awesome, Lizzie. I've got to get going, but I'll call you okay?"  
She nodded, watching him shut the door behind him. She was still in part shock about what she'd done. She wondered like she had before about Isabella. This girl who looked exactly like her, but no one knew anything about her.  
She'd asked questions, was it possible they had been separated, were there some kind of weird family link? But everything had ended up the same way. Nothing linking them, just the freakish coincidence they looked the same.  
Lizzie stood up, crossed her room, and stood in front of the mirror. Even now, three years after she'd learned the truth, it was still hard to imagine that her face was out there, in a completely different country.  
She picked up the phone and dialed her mother's number.  
"Hi, honey, what's up?"  
"Mom, I'm going to Rome again."  
"Again?! Why?"  
"Isabella is filming a video, and she'd offering me a lot of money to come and be her stand in."  
Jo was quiet for a few moments. "What kind of stunts?"  
"Nothing that isn't going to be supervised by a stunt coordinator," Lizzie answered quickly. "It's all going to be safe."  
"How long?" Jo asked, trying to hide the hurt of being separated from her only daughter.  
"I'm not really sure yet, her manager is supposed to call me with all the information." Lizzie selected an apple and stood up. "I'm going to get off of here, but I'll let you know as soon as I find something out."  
She fell back onto the bed wondering what she had gotten herself into.  
*** 


	4. An Evening in Roma

Isabella paced impatiently in the waiting area of the airport, if that idiot Matteo had messed up the times and she was waiting for nothing.She sighed angrily and flung herself into a chair. She adjusted her hat over her eyes and pushed the dark glasses back up her nose. It was pointless to be disguised, if Lizzie was anything like she'd been on the phone, or how she handled the whole Paolo situation, she'd walked around Rome announcing that she was Isabella.  
Oh well, she laughed silently. At least she is a cheap way of making me in my video look wonderful. She perked up when she heard the announcing of the plane from New York City where Lizzie was supposed to have transferred.  
Crossing her arms, she put on the dazzling smile usually reserved for photographers and turned towards the stream of emerging passengers. This would be relatively simple, play nice, laugh a little, make small talk, then go home and forget about them.  
Them, suddenly, Isabella remember that Lizzie was bringing a friend. I wonder who it is.  
She then spotted blonde hair and a very familiar face. Smiling, she waved and called the pair over to her. She hugged Lizzie then lightly kissed both of her cheeks. She then turned towards the male with her and repeated the same actions. He looked vaguely familiar, who was he? Then she remembered he was the one who had first told her who Lizzie was, his name was.Gordo! That was it.  
"Ciao, Lizzie, Gordo," she grinned. "How was the flight?"  
Gordo smiled and nodded. "It was fun."  
"You didn't eat on the plane did you?" Isabella asked. "Because I wanted to take you out for lunch."  
"I'm starving," Gordo replied.  
"I'm hungry too," Lizzie nodded.  
"Good," Isabella smiled, leading the way through the airport. "I know this wonderful little café-"  
"Isabella, wait," Lizzie interrupted. "What about our bags? I brought two suitcases."  
Isabella waved her hand through the air. "Do not worry about that, the driver will get it and take it to your hotel room."  
The trio continued on outside then Isabella led the way over to a long back beautiful limo. A man opened the door, she climbed in first, then followed by the other two. She watched them both for a moment, Lizzie was content staring out the window, Gordo watched Lizzie for a moment, then when he felt Isabella's stare, he turned towards her.  
"This was a really nice thing for you to do, letting me come and everyone."  
"Prego," she replied simply.  
"Gordo, look! There's the Hotel Cambini!" Lizzie exclaimed.  
He laughed and nodded towards another landmark. "Remember that one?"  
Lizzie giggled. "That was such a fun trip."  
Isabella leaned back, hoping the ride would be over soon as they reminisced about their previous vacation, a time that Isabella under no circumstance wanted to remember. They finally pulled in front of the café, Gordo led the way out, then Lizzie and finally Isabella. She brushed her hand over her brown hair, adjusted her green skirt, then turned towards the café, and walked on ahead.  
She spoke quietly with the manager for a few moments, then turned to Lizzie and Gordo. "He is getting a table away from the window, so we do not have many distractions."  
They nodded, then followed Isabella to the table and all sat down.  
Lizzie looked around, her eyes wide in wonder. Her eyes danced over the intricate chairs that looked like they belonged in a garden, to the glass tops of the table, to the stone walls. "This is incredible," she breathed softly.  
"What is?" Isabella asked, glancing around.  
"Everything! This café is awesome," she gushed.  
Isabella stared at the American across from her. She hardly saw what there was to be in complete awe over, but if it kept her happy.  
"Don't you think there should be places like back home?" she chattered happily to Gordo.  
Isabella ordered for them all then chose now to tune them out. She really didn't want to hear their excitement over a corner café. It was hardly worth her interest. Her mind wandered to her stage show, what she wanted it to be like, how the choreography would be, what special effects she wanted.  
"Isabella?" Lizzie said, her tone made it obvious she'd called several times already.  
"Sí?" she answered, with no intention of apologizing for not paying attention.  
"What do I need to know about the video?"  
"You will have a fitting tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, then after that, at eleven you will meet the choreographer, and work on the dance. After we finish eating here, you have a meeting with the stunt coordinator," Isabella explained.  
Lizzie stared at her for a moment, her face showing she was shocked she hadn't had previous notice of this. Isabella stared back at her, almost challenging her to say something in protest, but Lizzie didn't, instead she began to pick at the food the waiter sat down in front of them.  
Isabella placed her napkin in her lap, then picked up her fork. Lizzie stared at the food for a moment, before finally taking a bite.  
Gordo on the other hand, wasn't feeling as brave, he poked at the food for a minute, then looked at Isabella. "Where's the spaghetti and pizza?"  
Isabella shook her head and finished her bite. "Roman food is not all spaghetti and pizza, Gordo. This is a very delicious dish, try it."  
Gordo looked doubtfully from his food to Isabella, then finally took a bite. Isabella smiled her first true smile when his face revealed he like the food. "It's good," he nodded over a mouthful.  
Isabella shook her head and smiled teasingly. "You could have swallowed before talking, Mr. Gordon."  
"But it's no fun that way," he replied, swallowing a large bite.  
"Gordo," Lizzie laughed. "We're trying to eat here too."  
Isabella watched the pair of friends silently for the rest of the meal. Her memory briefly flashing to a time when she would laugh insanely over something he had said. She forced the memory out of her mind and waved her hand for the waiter. He stood beside the table and she spoke in Italian to him, giving him money for the food and a very generous tip, then she turned her attention to Lizzie and Gordo. "I have to leave, a prior appointment. I will be seeing you soon at the video shoot, until then, enjoy your visit in room. The driver will take you to your hotel." She laid down two hotel keys from her purse. I hope you like the rooms."  
She didn't give them a chance to answer, or protest and she disappeared quickly out the door.  
*** 


	5. Memories of Rome

***  
Lizzie walked into the hotel room and felt her heart skip. The room was beautiful, the bed twice the size of hers at home, the bathroom held a bathtub with jets, and a very large sink area. The television even included a DVD player. She let out a squeal and spun around in the lavish room. A knock on the dividing door between the double attached rooms called her back to reality as she ran over and peered through the peep hole.  
"What do you think about the rooms?" Gordo asked.  
"Wow," she smiled. "They're great."  
"It's insane, that we're staying here for free."  
"No, not for free," Lizzie moaned, falling back onto the bed. "Gordo you should have seen those stunts they wanted me to do! I can't do all of that! Parachuting, dropping into a moving car! No wonder Isabella doesn't want to do them."  
"Lizzie, you can do it," he assured her, as she sat back up. "Work with the coordinator and listen to what they have to say. They won't have you do anything you're not physically capable of."  
Lizzie nodded and walked over to her suitcase and began to pull out the bathroom items. "Everyone was so nice, and they said they're going to take care of me as if I were Isabella herself."  
"See, it's going to work out fine."  
"Well, sure, you can sit there and say that, it's not your neck on the line."  
"Lizzie, you're great, you'll do awesome at it."  
She smiled at him then took the items into the bathroom and came back out. "What do you think of Isabella?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do you like her?"  
"Like her?" Gordo exclaimed, then he shook his head. "No, I don't like her."  
Lizzie laughed as she pulled more clothes out of her suitcase. "Well, duh Gordo, I didn't mean like girlfriend wise."  
Gordo felt his face turn red and he quickly interested himself in playing with the buttons on the phone. "Oh, yeah, she's nice."  
Lizzie laughed again, and placed her jeans inside the dresser. "I think she's kinda snippy."  
"Snippy?" he smiled.  
Lizzie smile and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, she's just."  
"She hasn't talked to us in a long time. And we're new, I bet that has something to do with it," Gordo replied.  
Lizzie nodded as she examined a shirt, trying to decided if she should iron it. "Well, I just hope she doesn't give me a reason to regret agreeing to do this in the first place."  
Gordo turned back around to face her, and smiled reassuringly. "I think this is going to be an adventure we won't forget."  
***  
Gordo sat outside the dressing room, Lizzie had been in there for over an hour and a half. It really couldn't take that long to try on some clothes.Could it? He shook his head, she probably got excited and was trying on clothes that weren't even for the video. Sighing, he looked towards the ceiling as he stood up then blindly turned down the hallway to the room.  
He collided with someone and stumbled back a few steps. Glancing back up, he began to apologize profusely. "I'm so sorry!" He stopped when he realized it was Isabella who he'd run into. "I wasn't paying attention, I'm really sorry."  
"I realize you were not paying attention," she retorted, retrieving her fallen purse. "Maybe you should look where you are going before you walk down a hallway."  
"I didn't even know you were here," he stated, trying to step to the side to let her pass, but ever time he stepped she tried to get around him and they wound up doing a funny looking dance until Isabella stopped moving. Isabella side stepped him and started to walk away, but Gordo's voice stopped her. "You know, you're different now."  
"What do you mean?" she asked, pulling her purse tighter against her shoulder.  
"Well, when we met you before, you seemed like you cared about people, like you didn't want Lizzie to get hurt or embarrassed by anything." he trailed off as he looked down at his hands. "Now, you act like everyone is a waste of time."  
"Look, I do not have time your little games. I am only tolerating you because you are Lizzie's guest. I do not find you amusing, I do not need you to pretend you know what is going on inside my head, because you have no idea what has happened in my life, since that time."  
Gordo stared at her for a moment. "You're still upset by the whole Paolo thing," he stated softly.  
Isabella's mouth fell open, her face scrunched up in anger. "I am not! Paolo was an idiot, who could not even sing, and he is worthless."  
"But he was your friend, and he betrayed you," Gordo persisted. He was surprising himself, he didn't even know her, but looking into her eyes, he could clearly see the pain when he said Paolo's name. "And you're trying to block people out."  
Isabella raised her perfectly arched eyebrows. "I do not know what you are talking about. I am fine." She glared at him and walked past.  
Gordo stared after her. That European woman was something else, she was beautiful, mysterious, and what was he thinking!? He tried to shake the thought out of his head, but he couldn't help it. He was fascinated by her.  
  
"Gordo?" Lizzie's voice called.  
Startled, he turned around. "Wha-yeah?"  
"What are you doing?"  
"N-nothing," he replied quickly. "Did you like the clothes?"  
Lizzie smiled. "Well, Isabella has a different style than I do, but it's cool because, well it's going to be fun to be her again. But, this time, no distraction from a cute boy."  
Gordo felt a prickle of annoyance at hearing her refer to Paolo as cute. "You still think he's cute, after he tried to embarrass you in front of all of Italy on live TV."  
"Well, he hasn't done anything to make himself look physically ugly, and it worked out that he didn't embarrass me. He actually gave me confidence."  
"He also almost destroyed it, had it not been for Isabella," he argued.  
"Still, I did something I'd never do."  
"Are you ready to go now?" Gordo replied almost impatiently. He didn't want to hear anything more about Paolo.  
"Now, it's off to dance class," she said with an odd smirk on her face.  
"What?" Gordo asked, confused.  
"Nothing," Lizzie smiled, she was simply remember a different dancing lesson a long time ago in Rome.  
*** 


	6. Quiet on the Set

Thanks to those who reviewed! JunisGirl, Thanks for your review, but keep reading I think you'll see why Isabella is acting like she is. And, Lizzie and Gordo are just friends. At least for now. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Isabella paced in her living room. Gordo is insane, she told herself, she'd been without a friend three years. Three years without a someone to talk to, without someone to give her words of comfort when her day went bad.  
She sighed and sat down on the couch, and angrily turned on the TV. How dare he pretend he knows me, and he understands what is wrong. How are suggest that I need anyone. I am Isabella Parigi, I need no one.  
She flipped through the channels, becoming aggravated at each channel featured some happy couple. She persisted trying to find something to take her mind off of Paolo and Gordo, then finally gave up and yelled at the TV, "Not everyone is part of a couple. Some people would like normal programming!"  
Standing up in disgust, she walked into her bedroom. Nothing in here to remind her of Paolo or Gordo. She lay down on her bed, and closed her eyes. She felt an incredible amount of loneliness wash over her, but she pushed it aside, she would not let the American get her to feel like she was lonely. Sighing, she grabbed the covers and closed her eyes, until she finally fell asleep.  
***  
Isabella tilted her head and yawned. She stared at the reflection in the mirror as her hairdresser brushed the long strands straight. The feeling of someone running their hands through her hair relaxed her and she wanted to drift into sleep.  
"You're quiet this morning," Allie noted, pulling the curling iron down a section of her hair. Allie was from England and her British accent played with her words.  
Isabella nodded. "Sí, I just feel tired. What are you doing to my hair?" Allie had done many video shoots before, but that had always been with Paolo, and he had preferred her hair with a curl and away from her face. Isabella had spent many early mornings with her on set, even at live concert events.  
"I'm making it super straight, and I'm putting hair wax in it to hold it down."  
Isabella raised her eye brows. "I suddenly remember why I never ask what you do, and I just go along with whatever it look like."  
"I'll be fixing Lizzie's hair today," Allie stated.  
Isabella rolled her eyes. "You'll fix her wig."  
"It's unnerving how much she looks like you," the beautician stated. "And there's no hidden family link somewhere?"  
"No, none, she's nothing like me besides in her looks. She is incredibly naïve, immature, and-" she stopped when she saw Allie staring at her in the mirror. "What?" she snapped.  
"Nothing," Allie replied, picking up a hair product. She started to put it in Isabella's hair, but the girl jerked away.  
"What were you going to say?"  
Allie held her hands out away from her. "Nothing."  
"You wanted to say something, then say it," she ordered.  
Allie sighed. "I didn't want to say anything, Isabella."  
She stood up from the chair, and waved her hand. "I'll be back." Quick strides took her away from the trailer then towards the stretch of road where they would be filming today.  
"Have you seen the car?" A voice asked behind her.  
Isabella quickly turned around and stared at Craig, the special effects coordinator. He was incredibly brilliant, but also scared her. He was very intense, especially when anything involved his work. His sandy hair fell just below his ears, and often hid his eyes. Isabella longed to hand him a pair of scissors and tell him to take it to them, but she didn't want to risk losing him. "What's the car like?"  
"It's a beautiful Jaguar, '03, painted ruby red, white leather interior, convertible, it's going to look so sweet. You're going to love driving this baby," he explained, leading her over to the car.  
Isabella looked into it. She honestly didn't see the reason to get excited, the car was nice. "I won't be driving it," she answered.  
"What?" Craig exclaimed. "You're kidding right? Do you know what I had to do to get this car and get it running and looking the way it does?"  
Isabella rolled her eyes and shook her head. Honestly, it wasn't worth the trouble of explaining it to him, Lizzie looked just like her and way enough to fool people. "Sí, sí, I will be driving it. I was just startled by the size of it at first, but you will see me in the front seat of it later today."  
Craig suddenly seemed very interested in cleaning and invisible speck of dust off the front and Isabella took this as her chance to slip away.  
She continued on until she reached the wardrobe trailer. She glanced at her watch, the decided she could go ahead and get ready for the day.  
"Ciao, Bella," Dante, her stylist greeted. Dante was a young man, only seven years older than her eighteen years. His designs were unique and beautiful, his quirky personality going into each outfit. "Ready to get dress?"  
She tilted her head and smiled. "Better be a good outfit, Dante," she stated.  
Dante turned around shifted through the clothes rack then turned around holding a white pants outfit. The outfit was a one piece with a very low V that almost reached down to her stomach, no sleeves, a gold chain would accent her waist, and gold tube top like would hide parts of her she didn't want the V to show. "Daring huh? We're still showing belly, and you'll look incredibly sexy, but it's still covered up."  
Isabella nodded. She wished there was something green to it, but she'd always wore green and earthy colors with Paolo. It was time to break away and do something completely new. "I like it."  
Dante handed the outfit over. "Lizzie said it was a bit out there."  
"Well, Lizzie is not paid to give her advice on what I will wear," she replied. "And because she agreed to play me, she will wear what I wear. Where are my shoes?"  
"Oh yeah. Bella, you're going to love these," he replied, excitedly. He turned his back for a moment, then turned around producing a pair of white leather ankle boots, with a gold buckle, on the side, hiding the zipper.  
Isabella smiled and took the boots from him. "Grazie, they're great."  
She stepped out of the trailer then made her way quickly to her own. After changing clothes, she stepped out and walked towards the area where crew was gathering.  
Matteo was on the phone as usual and she didn't even bother to greet him, but instead found Serena talking and gesturing wildly.  
"What's going on?" she asked, suspicion in her voice. This was going to be a smooth video shoot, limited problems, limited interruptions.  
Serena turned around and smiled at her. "We were just discussing the car scene."  
Craig stood next to Isabella and handed her the keys. "Take good care of it," he stated, before walking away.  
Isabella shook her head as she fingered the keys. "So where is Lizzie?"  
"I'm right here," a breathless voice called beside her.  
Isabella turned and the resemblance between them was almost too much. Lizzie's blonde hair was covered in a wig the perfectly matched her own, make up, wardrobe, all added together even made Lizzie look like a mirror.  
"Well," Serena replied, her eyebrows arched as she stared at the other girl. "Wow."  
Isabella rolled her eyes. "So what scene are we doing today?"  
"You're going to drive the car and sing the song. For the first few shots, you won't be driving, the car will be pulled by a truck with the camera mounted so we can still get you in the shots and you can sing without worrying about hitting anything. Then we'll do a couple of drive by scenes, and then the car will speed, the other car will follow, and then the Jaguar's breaks will be slammed, the car will spin and then the final confrontation."  
"So, we're pretty much filming backwards," Isabella stated.  
"Just a bit," Serena nodded.  
Isabella jangled the keys.  
Serena turned to talk to the crew, Isabella climbed inside the car. The seats were comfortable, and she leaned back, closing her eyes.  
She'd apparently zoned out because suddenly Serena was atop the truck in front of her, calling for the camera's to get ready to roll, a horn brought everyone's attention to the fact that they were about to begin filming. Serena called for action, the first few notes of the song crossed the silent road.  
Isabella went into a completely different mode, the song "Better Off Without You" was so freeing to sing, she stared ahead into the camera. She sang intently, her eyes staring at the camera conveying every verse. When the final notes played out and Serena called cut, she leaned back and smiled.  
"Great, let's do it again."  
*** 


End file.
